Slider door mechanism, running gear mechanism and closure return

• US 5,884,361 A
• Filed: 04/09/1997
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corporation.
• Inventors: Richardson, Richard J., Crown, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US08/835,587
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 16/90, 16/100, 16/101, 16/102, 16/106, 16/107, 16/94 R, 16/96 R, 16/96 D, 16/96 L, 16/87 R, 16/45, 16/93 D, 49/425, 49/410, 49/411
• US Class Current: 16/100
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0665 on wheels with fixed axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0691 Top guides
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/08 consisting of two or more independent parts movable each in its own guides
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/16 for sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

A wheel unit is disclosed for supporting a structure for movement on a track. The unit includes a rotatable wheel having a substantially flat bearing surface and supported on an axis for running on a track. A housing supports the wheel and includes a convex-shaped guide for maintaining the wheel on the track. A wheel and track combination is also disclosed wherein the wheel has a contact surface having a first dimension and supported by the housing to rotate about an axis. The track supports the housing and wheel and includes a contact surface for contacting the contact surface of the wheel and wherein the contact surface of the track has a second dimension larger than the first dimension of the contact surface on the wheel. Preferably, a guide keeps the wheel on the track while permitting the wheel to move laterally on the track.

Claims

1. A wheel unit for supporting a structure for movement on a track having a non-flat supporting surface, the unit comprising:

at least one rotatable wheel having a substantially flat bearing surface and supported on an axis for running on a track; and

a housing for supporting the wheel, including a convex-shaped guide for maintaining the wheel on the track.

2. The wheel unit of claim 1 wherein the rotatable wheel includes sides extending radially no further than the substantially flat bearing surface.

3. The wheel unit of claim 1 wherein the rotatable wheel includes a shaft and a bearing for supporting the wheel on the shaft.

4. The wheel unit of claim 1 wherein the unit includes an even number of rotatable wheels and wherein the housing supports the wheels.

5. The wheel unit of claim 4 wherein the guide is located intermediate the wheels so that an equal number of wheels are positioned in the housing on one side of the guide as are positioned on the other side of the guide in the housing.

6. The wheel unit of claim 5 wherein the wheel unit includes two rotatable wheels supported in the housing and wherein the housing includes a center part positioned longitudinally between the two wheels and wherein the center part includes the guide for maintaining the wheels on the track.

7. The wheel unit of claim 6 wherein the center part of the housing extends along respective planes outside of the sides of the wheels, wherein the wheels extend downwardly in the housing to a lower-most point and wherein the center part of the housing extends below the lower-most point of the wheels, and wherein the guide includes at least one protrusion extending inwardly toward a line defined by the longitudinally aligned wheels.

8. The wheel unit of claim 7 wherein the guide includes a pair of oppositely facing protrusions on the center part of the housing.

9. The wheel unit of claim 8 wherein the distance between the spaced-apart protrusions is less than the width of the wheels.

10. The wheel unit of claim 1 wherein the wheel includes a shaft and the housing includes a wall defining a support for the wheel shaft wherein the wall includes an opening having a dimension smaller than a dimension of the shaft so that the shaft can be removably inserted through the opening into the shaft support.

11. The wheel unit of claim 1 wherein the guide and the housing for maintaining the wheel on the track includes a protrusion extending longitudinally of the housing.

12. The wheel unit of claim 1 further including a mounting element in the housing for mounting the wheel unit to a structure wherein the mounting element is positioned approximately intermediate the housing between an upper portion of the housing and a lower portion of the housing.

13. The wheel unit of claim 1 wherein the wheel is formed from a plastic.

14. The wheel unit of claim 13 wherein the wheel is formed from acetal.

15. A wheel and track unit for supporting a structure for movement on a track, the unit comprising:

a wheel having a substantially flat bearing surface and supported on an axis for running on a track;

a housing for supporting the wheel, including a convex-shaped guide separate from the wheel for maintaining the wheel on the track; and

a track having a non-flat supporting surface for supporting the unit through contact with the substantially flat bearing surface of the wheel.

16. The wheel and track unit of claim 15 wherein the housing includes sidewalls extending a distance greater than a diameter of the wheel and wherein the guide for maintaining the wheel on the track is spaced apart from the wheel.

17. The wheel and track unit of claim 16 wherein the guide includes a plurality of protrusions on the sidewalls of the housing spaced apart by a first distance, wherein the track includes a rail having a second dimension defining a width of a rail wherein the second dimension is greater than the first dimension of the guide so that the guide fits over the rail with an interference fit.

18. The wheel and track unit of cliam of 15 wherein said supporting surface of the track includes a bead on top of the rail.

19. The wheel and track unit of claim 18 wherein the bead has a substantially round profile.

20. A wheel and track unit for supporting a structure for movement on a track, the unit comprising:

a wheel supported on an axis;

a housing for supporting the wheel, including a convex-shaped protruding guide separate from the wheel for maintaining the wheel on a track; and

a track for supporting the wheel and housing through contact with the wheel.

21. A closure unit comprising:

a track;

a panel;

a wheel unit for supporting the panel on the track wherein the wheel unit includes at least one rotatable wheel having a substantially flat bearing surface and supported on an axis for running on the track; and

a housing for supporting the wheel, including a convex-shaped guide for maintaining the wheel on the track.

22. The closure of claim 21 wherein the housing is at least partly recessed in the bottom of the panel.

23. The closure of claim 22 wherein the housing further includes a mounting element between the top and bottom of the housing for mounting the housing at least partly recessed in the panel.

24. The closure of claim 23 wherein the mounting element includes a flange extending around the outside of the housing approximately intermediate between the top and bottom of the housing.

25. The closure of claim 21 wherein the housing is movable relative to the panel, so that the wheel unit is at least partially self-aligning on the track.

26. The closure of claim 25 wherein the panel includes a wall defining an opening for the housing having a first cross-sectional area, wherein the housing fits into the opening in the panel and has a second cross-sectional area for the housing portion which fits in the opening in the panel and wherein the second cross-sectional area is less than the first cross-sectional area.

27. The closure of claim 26 wherein the housing includes a rectangular housing and wherein the opening in the panel is substantially rectangular and wherein the width and length of the housing is less than the corresponding width and length of the opening in the panel.

28. The closure of claim 21 wherein the housing is mounted to the panel through removable fasteners.

29. The closure of claim 21 wherein the rotatable wheel includes sides extending radially no further than the substantially flat bearing surface.

30. The closure of claim 21 wherein the rotatable wheel includes a shaft and a bearing for supporting the wheel on the shaft.

31. The closure of claim 21 wherein the wheel unit includes two rotatable wheels supported in the housing, wherein the housing includes a center part positioned, longitudinally, between the two wheels, wherein the center part includes the guide for maintaining the wheels on the track, and wherein the guide includes a pair of oppositely facing protrusions on the center part of the housing.

32. The closure of claim 21 wherein the wheel unit includes a shaft and the housing includes a wall defining a support for the wheel shaft wherein the wall includes an opening having a dimension smaller than a dimension of the shaft so that the shaft can be removably inserted through the opening into the shaft support through an interference fit.

33. The closure of claim 21 further including a mounting element on the housing for mounting the wheel unit to a structure wherein the mounting element is positioned approximately intermediate the housing between an upper portion of the housing and a lower portion of the housing.

34. A closure unit comprising:

a track having a non-flat supporting surface;

a panel;

a wheel unit supporting the panel on the track wherein the wheel unit includes at least one rotatable wheel having a substantially flat bearing surface for supporting the weight of the panel and supported on an axis for running on the track and wherein the rotatable wheel includes substantially straight internal side walls for laterally guiding the wheel unit on the track; and

a housing for supporting the wheel.

35. The closure of claim 34 further comprising a surrounding frame and wherein the track is movable within the surrounding frame.

36. A wheel and track unit for supporting and guiding a structure for movement on a track, the unit comprising:

a housing having a guide;

a wheel having a contact surface having a first dimension, and supported by the housing to rotate about an axis; and

a track for supporting the housing and wheel and including a contact surface for contacting the contact surface of the wheel and wherein the contact surface of the track has a second dimension larger than the first dimension of the contact surface on the wheel and wherein the guide keeps the wheel on the track while permitting the wheel to move laterally on the track.

37. The unit of claim 36 wherein the wheel includes sides converging to the contact surface of the wheel.

38. The unit of claim 36 wherein the guide includes protrusions extending inwardly toward the track.

39. The unit of claim 38 wherein the protrusions are convex in transverse cross section.

40. The unit of claim 38 wherein the protrusions extend longitudinally of the housing.

41. The unit of claim 38 wherein the protrusions are hemispherical.

42. The unit of claim 38 wherein the track includes a flat-topped contact surface with rounded sides and wherein the rounded sides of the contact surface are at the same horizontal level as the guides on the housing.

43. The unit of claim 36 wherein the housing further includes a surface for contacting the track as the wheel is placed on the track to indicate when the wheel is properly placed on the track.